Albuquerque, N.M – University Idaho track and field team
claimed two titles and posted seven qualifying times on the second day of the
Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships at Albuquerque, N.M.

“We had a lot
of ups and downs,” Idaho director of
track and field Wayne Phipps said. “But overall we had a lot of excellent
performances.”

Senior Barry Britt
earned the Vandals first WAC title of the weekend with his first-place time of
14:53.56 in the 5000m. The women’s distance medley team earned the second WAC
title of the weekend. The team of freshman Marquita Palmer, senior Liga
Velvere, senior Lauren Schaffer and junior Hannah Kiser finished the race with
a first-place time of 11:46.10. The WAC title is Idaho’s third consecutive title
in this event.

The Vandal
men hold the fourth-place spot with a two-day total 18 points, which is 11 away
from third-place UTSA. The women are sitting at fifth place with 29.50 points,
just 2.5 points away from fourth-place.

Senior Ryan
Bowen opened the day with two season-best marks in both the 60m hurdles(9.30)
and the pole vault (13-11.25,4.25m) while finishing out the men’s heptathlon
with a final score of 2,310. Freshman Drew Thompson finished seventh in the
event with a score of 4,685.

Freshman
Katelyn Peterson posted a fourth-place career-best mark of 5-7.25(1.71m) in the women’s high jump to earn her a
Second-Team All-WAC honor. Joining Peterson was sophomore Emily Paradis, with sixth-place
time of 18:14.72 in the 5000m securing her a Second-Team All-WAC honor.

On the men’s
side the distance medley team of sophomore Colton Hastings, junior Andrew
Bloom, Senior Kyle Tylor and senior Jeff Osborn placed third with a time of
10:25.23, earning them a First-Team All-WAC honor.

After the preliminary
races the Vandals will advance seven competitors to the finals tomorrow. Palmer
posted a career-best time in the mile (5:04.96) for a top qualifying time.

The Vandal
women led the 800m with three qualifying times; Velvere, the two-time defending
champ in the event, Schaffer, and senior Kelli Hall all posted top marks. Hall’s
time of 2:14.08 was a season-best mark.

“Having all
three qualify is key for tomorrow,” Phipps said. “I was really pleased and
impressed with how all three of those girls ran today.”

The men will
advance sophomore Ben Ayesu-Attah in the 400m, and Osborn in the mile.

After the
second day of competition the Vandals posted three season-best marks and 11
career-best marks. They also earned three First-Team All-WAC honors and two
Second-Team All-WAC honors.

Events will
kick off tomorrow at 10 a.m. (PT) with the men’s high jump.